Sparkling Strawberry and Basil Lemonade

My hiatus has come to an end. Today, I can officially say, I’m back. Why such a long break? Well, let’s chalk it up to an overabundance of apathy.

I’ve been working on all kinds of updates over the past week. Updates that, hopefully, will help get things rolling once again.

There was much deliberation when I was deciding what to post first. After a lot of thought, I decided a celebratory drink was in order. So, I give you Sparkling Strawberry and Basil Lemonade. It’s sweet and tart with just a hint of basil. It’s the perfect drink for the start of summer.

Now, this Sparkling Strawberry and Basil Lemonade is currently alcohol-free, however, I’m entirely convinced that it would be great with vodka or even gin. When I made mine, it was still a little too early to justify a cocktail.

Enjoy!

Sparkling Strawberry and Basil Lemonade

2014-06-23 16:35:31

It’s sweet and tart with just a hint of basil. It’s the perfect drink for the start of summer. For an adult version, add vodka or gin.

For the Strawberry and Basil Syrup: Combine the strawberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture is thick and the strawberries begin to break down. This will be about 30-45 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add basil leaves. Allow to cool for about an hour.

Run the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Store syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For the Sparkling Strawberry and Basil Lemonade: Add ice to two glasses. Divide the lemon juice evenly in each glass. Add about 1/3 cup of the syrup to each glass. Top with sparkling water and gently stir.